Can body reshaping means



1952 D. POWELL ET Al. 3,056,447

CAN BODY RESHAPING MEANS Original Filed May 31, 1955 I155. E1E7. INVENTORS 1/ W W fiayzfgn/ezz and W L P\U: MyWeJJKZZSO E BY 9 z 2; A] if MIQEE/I ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,956,447 Patented Oct. 2, 1962 3,056,447 CAN BODY RESHAPING MEANS Dan Powell and Wilfred James Allsopp, Worcester, England, assignors to The Metal Box Company Limited, London, England, a British company Original application May 31, 1955, Ser. No. 512,173, now Patent No. 2,895,527, dated July 21, 1959. Divided and this application May 29, 1959, Ser. No. 816,996 7 Claims. (Cl. 153-54) This application is a division of our parent US. Patent application, Serial No. 512,173, filed May 31, 1955, now Patent No. 2,895,527, issued July 21, 1959.

This invention relates to the manufacture of can bodies.

In one method of manufacturing can bodies a blank sheet of metal is formed into cylindrical or other form and the meeting edges are joined by a lock and/or lap seam. The joined edges may then be soldered thereby forming what is known as a can body. These operations are normally performed on a body-making machine and although it is possible to form can bodies of irregular shape, for example of substantially rectangular crosssection, on such a machine, it is sometimes found to be desirable to reform can bodies of circular cross-section to bodies of other shape, for example of substantially rectangular cross-section.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel and advantageous apparatus for reforming can bodies of circular cross-section, to another shape, for example to substantially rectangular cross-section as said bodies are fed from a conventional body-making machine, and to so shape the reformed bodies as to enhance the appearance thereof and/or provide strengthening or shape retaining panels or the like therein.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation showing the reforming apparatus for attachment to a can body-making machine and in which cans issuing from the body-making machine are fed automatically to and from the reforming apparatus.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of arrow 3.

FIGURE 4 is an underneath plan of a part of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic end view of a can body of circular cross-section.

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic end view of a can body of substantially rectangular cross-section formed from the can body shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic end view of a can body of substantially rectangular cross-section formed from the can body shown in FIGURE 6 and provided with panels in the Wider sides of the can body.

The apparatus disclosed successively receives can bodies B of cylindrical shape (FIGURE 5); reforms each can body into substantially rectangular cross-section with two relatively narrow sides N and two relatively wide sides W (FIGURE 6); and shapes each reformed body to provide it with permanent inwardly bent panels P (FIGURE 7), to reinforce the body and/or enhance its appearance.

The drawings illustrate apparatus to be fitted to a can body-making machine. A fixed anvil 1 has extending lengthwise from one end thereof fixed reforming elements 2 supported in spaced relation by plates 3, 4 secured to the ends thereof, the anvil 1 being also secured to the plate 3. The reforming elements 2 at the ends thereof which are secured to the anvil 1, define a general cross-section corresponding to the substantially rectangu lar cross-section to which a can body is to be reformed and they converge towards the plate 4, and at this end thereof, they define a generally circular cross-section to permit a can body B of circular cross-section to be fed endwise onto the mandrel directly from the body-making machine; the anvil 1, the reforming elements 2 and the plates 3, 4 being mountable as a unit on the usual projecting stud of a body-making machine. It will be under stood that as the can bodies are delivered from the bodymaking machine the seams S of the bodies are on the upper narrow side thereof. Thus, when a body B is delivered from the body-making machine and moves lengthwise along the mandrel 2, 3, 4, the body is reformed by said mandrel as seen in FIGURE 6 so that the seam is located lengthwise of one of the narrow sides N of the reformed body and is substantially central therewith.

The rear end of the can body B as it issues from the body-making machine is engaged by one of a number of pusher pieces 5 on an endless conveyor 6 driven by any suitable means, not shown. The pusher pieces 5 travel between the reforming elements 2, and the anvil 1 is provided with a groove 7, FIGURES 2 and 3, extending lengthwise thereof to permit the passage of said pusher pieces 5. As a pusher piece 5 moves a can body B lengthwise along the mandrel, opposite sides W of said body travel between saidmandrel and guides 8 carried on brackets 9 secured to a machine frame 10 so that said body is gradually reformed from its cylindrical crosssection (FIGURE 5) to a generally rectangular crosssection (FIGURE 6). The body is further moved by the pusher piece 5 from the reforming elements 2 over the anvil 1. During its passage over the anvil 1, which anvil has shaped sides 11, the reformed body is passed between the anvil and a pair of rotating rollers 12 which deform the wider sides W of the can body at P so that the cross-section thereof assumes the shape shown in FIGURE 7. As the reformed and shaped can body leaves the anvil 1 it is moved by one of the pusher pieces 5 over a mandrel extension 13 from which it can be delivered by the pusher piece to any suitable receptacle.

The rollers 12 are secured to spindles 14, FIGURE 4, supported in bearings 15, FIGURES 1 and 3, for rotation. Rotation of the spindles 14 is effected by gear wheels 16, FIGURE 4, meshing with gear wheels 17, the gear gear wheels 17 being in meshing relation one with the other and one of these gear wheels 17 being secured to a spindle 18 to which is also secured a bevel gear 19 meshing with a further bevel gear 26 secured to a driving shaft 21 which is rotated by suitable means including a sprocket 22.

In the foregoing description there has been described an embodiment of the invention which incorporates shaping means comprising a fixed anvil and rollers to cooperate with the opposite shaped sides thereof. It will be understood, however, that if desired, means other than rollers may be provided for cooperation with the shaped sides of the anvil. Further, it will be understood that although the reformed can bodies have been shown as being provided with panels P in the opposite wider sides W thereof, the permanent bends formed in said opposite wider sides may be of any other suitable form, for example they may be bowed inwardly toward each other.

It will also be understood that, if desired, can bodies of circular cross-section may, by apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention and including a mandrel and reforming elements of suitable shape, be reformed to a cross-section other than substantially rectangular as described above. For example, they may be reformed to be of substantially oval or other desired cross-section.

While example disclosures of the improved apparatus are disclosed herein. it is to be understood that variations in the apparatus may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for reforming a cylindrical can body into a body having a non-cylindrical cross-section, comprising a fixed can-body-reforming mandrel for reception in a cylindrical can body, conveyor means to engage the cylindrical can body and advance it along said mandrel in one direction only starting at one end of said mandrel and off of the other end thereof, said mandrel being shaped to reform the cylindrical can body into noncylindrical form as it is advanced, a fixed anvil onto which the non-cylindrical can body is advanced from said mandrel, said anvil being constructed for internal contact with two opposed sides of the non-cylindrical can body, and longitudinal bend shaping means at opposite sides of said anvil, said conveyor means also extending along said anvil for moving can bodies thereover, said shaping means being disposed for external contact with said opposed sides of the non-cylindrical can body and being cooperable with said anvil and operable in the .direction of can body movement by said conveyor means in forming permanent recessed longitudinal bends in said opposed sides of a moving non-cylindrical can body.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which said can-body-reforming mandrel comprises fixed body-reforming elements extending to and secured to said anvil.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which said shaping means comprises rollers mounted on stationary axes and contoured to impart desired shape to said permanent longitudinal bends while the non-cylindrical body is being advanced.

4. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which said shaping means comprises rollers mounted on stationary axes and contoured to impart desired shape to said permanent longitudinal bends while the non-cylindrical body is being advanced, and means for driving said rollers.

5. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which said can-body-reforming mandrel comprises fixed body-reforming elements extending to and secured to said anvil, and in which said shaping means comprises rollers mounted on stationary axes and contoured to impart desired shape to said permanent longitudinal bends.

6. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which said can-body-reforming mandrel comprises fixed body-reforming elements extending to and secured to said anvil, in which said shaping means comprises rollers mounted on stationary axes and contoured to impart desired shape to said permanent longitudinal bends, and means for driving said rollers.

7. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which canbody-reforming mandrel comprises fixed can body reforming elements for gradually changing the shape of can bodies from circular to rectangular, and said mandrel includes opposed external guides for engaging and retaining the shapes of sides of can bodies.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 402,140 Carr Apr. 30, 1889 539,297 Plecker May 14, 1895 1,308,945 Gail July 8, 1919 1,777,728 Kumpf Oct. 7, 1930 1,966,349 Kronquest July 10, 1934 2,068,264 Burns Jan. 19, 1937 2,374,694 Murch May 1, 1945 2,435,306 Grotnes Feb. 3, 1948 2,800,943 Fuchs July 30, 1957 

